> Activision Blizzard Sued Over ‘Frat Boy’ Culture

Maeve Allsup, Blooberg Law:

A two-year investigation by the state agency found that the company discriminated against female employees in terms and conditions of employment, including compensation, assignment, promotion, and termination. Company leadership consistently failed to take steps to prevent discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, the agency said. According to the complaint, filed Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, female employees make up around 20% of the Activision workforce, and are subjected to a “pervasive frat boy workplace culture,” including “cube crawls,” in which male employees “drink copious amounts of alcohol as they crawl their way through various cubicles in the office and often engage in inappropriate behavior toward female employees.” The agency alleges male employees play video games during the workday while delegating responsibilities to female employees, engage in sexual banter, and joke openly about rape, among other things.

This is some serious shit. Given that it’s Activision though? Shocking but not surprising, unfortunately. If these allegations are true, I hope they get their clock cleaned.

Female employees working for the World of Warcraft team noted that male employees and supervisors would hit on them, make derogatory comments about rape, and otherwise engage in demeaning behavior, the agency alleges.

This though, given that it’s Blizzard, is surprising. Blizzard is one of the oldest and most revered studios in the industry. Blizzard is one of those “Dream Job” places for aspiring programmers and game developers. Very disappointing.

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